Jesse Crain
Encyclopedia
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
professional baseball
Baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
pitcher
Pitcher
In baseball, the pitcher is the player who throwsthe baseball from the pitcher's mound toward the catcher to begin each play, with the goal of retiring a batter, who attempts to either make contact with the pitched ball or draw a walk. In the numbering system used to record defensive plays, the...
with the Chicago White Sox
Chicago White Sox
The Chicago White Sox are a Major League Baseball team located in Chicago, Illinois.The White Sox play in the American League's Central Division. Since , the White Sox have played in U.S. Cellular Field, which was originally called New Comiskey Park and nicknamed The Cell by local fans...
of Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
.
High school and college
Crain was born in Toronto, Ontario, Canada and attended Fairview High SchoolFairview High School (Boulder)
Fairview High School is a public high school located on the southern edge of Boulder, Colorado in the Table Mesa area. About 2,000 students attend Fairview, placing it in the 5A category for Colorado sports.-Design of the school:...
in Boulder
Boulder, Colorado
Boulder is the county seat and most populous city of Boulder County and the 11th most populous city in the U.S. state of Colorado. Boulder is located at the base of the foothills of the Rocky Mountains at an elevation of...
, Colorado
Colorado
Colorado is a U.S. state that encompasses much of the Rocky Mountains as well as the northeastern portion of the Colorado Plateau and the western edge of the Great Plains...
, where he played baseball
Baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
, basketball
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
, and football
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
. He was named 1999 All-State and Colorado High School Player of the Year. He was a 2001 graduate of San Jacinto Junior College in Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
, where he was an All-Conference shortstop
Shortstop
Shortstop, abbreviated SS, is the baseball fielding position between second and third base. Shortstop is often regarded as the most dynamic defensive position in baseball, because there are more right-handed hitters in baseball than left-handed hitters, and most hitters have a tendency to pull the...
. In 2002, he was transferred to the University of Houston
University of Houston
The University of Houston is a state research university, and is the flagship institution of the University of Houston System. Founded in 1927, it is Texas's third-largest university with nearly 40,000 students. Its campus spans 667 acres in southeast Houston, and was known as University of...
and was named an all-conference shortstop and relief pitcher. He was named first team All-America by Baseball America
Baseball America
Baseball America is a magazine which covers baseball at every level, with a particular focus on up-and-coming players in high school, college, Japan, and the minor leagues. It is currently published in the form of a bi-weekly newspaper, five annual reference book titles, a weekly podcast, and a...
and Baseball Weekly and second team All-America by the ABCA
American Baseball Coaches Association
The American Baseball Coaches Association is a baseball coaching organization formed in 1945. It is the primary professional organization for baseball coaches at the amateur level.-History:...
. He was also named to Conference USA All-Academic team.
Minor leagues
Crain was drafted and signed in 2002, playing at the rookie level, and low-A minor leagueMinor league
Minor leagues are professional sports leagues which are not regarded as the premier leagues in those sports. Minor league teams tend to play in smaller, less elaborate venues, often competing in smaller cities. This term is used in North America with regard to several organizations competing in...
levels going 3-2 (wins/losses) with an 0.99 Earned Run Average
Earned run average
In baseball statistics, earned run average is the mean of earned runs given up by a pitcher per nine innings pitched. It is determined by dividing the number of earned runs allowed by the number of innings pitched and multiplying by nine...
combined. In 2003, he managed to pitch at all three levels in the minor leagues, going 6-3 with a 3.00 ERA. In 2004 he pitched with the AAA-ball Rochester Red Wings
Rochester Red Wings
The Rochester Red Wings are a minor league baseball team based in Rochester, New York. The team plays in the International League and is the Triple-A affiliate of the Minnesota Twins major-league club. The Red Wings play in Frontier Field, located in downtown Rochester.The Red Wings were an...
and went 3-2 with a 2.49 ERA before being called up by the Minnesota Twins.
Major leagues
Crain was called up by the Minnesota Twins in early August 2004, going 3-0 with a 2.00 ERA. In 2005 he made the major league roster. Starting the season 8-0, he set a record for most consecutive wins in relief to start a career.On May 17, 2007, Crain was placed on the 15-day disabled list with a torn rotator cuff and labrum. He missed the rest of the season after undergoing surgery.
Crain returned to the team in 2008. He stepped up, along with Craig Breslow
Craig Breslow
Craig Andrew Breslow is a Major League Baseball relief pitcher for the Oakland Athletics. He throws left-handed, and is considered a lefty specialist....
, to fill the eighth-inning setup role formerly occupied by Pat Neshek
Pat Neshek
Patrick J. Neshek is an American professional baseball pitcher who is a free agent. Neshek is a graduate of Park Center Senior High School in Minnesota and of Butler University.-Early career:...
, who was placed on the 60-day disabled list on May 29 with an acute tear of the ulnar collateral ligament
Ulnar collateral ligament (elbow)
The ulnar collateral ligament is a thick triangular band consisting of two portions, an anterior and posterior united by a thinner intermediate portion....
in his throwing arm. He went 5-4 for the season, with a 3.59 ERA in 66 games.
After the 2010 season, Crain signed a three year contract with the Chicago White Sox
Chicago White Sox
The Chicago White Sox are a Major League Baseball team located in Chicago, Illinois.The White Sox play in the American League's Central Division. Since , the White Sox have played in U.S. Cellular Field, which was originally called New Comiskey Park and nicknamed The Cell by local fans...
.
World Baseball Classic
Crain was selected to represent Canada at the World Baseball ClassicWorld Baseball Classic
The World Baseball Classic is an international baseball tournament sanctioned by the International Baseball Federation and created by Major League Baseball , the Major League Baseball Players Association , and other professional baseball leagues and their players associations around the world...
. In the first game of the 2006 edition of the Classic, Crain came into the game in the 9th inning. He got the save as Canada beat the South Africans
South Africa national baseball team
The South African national baseball team is a baseball team which represents the Republic of South Africa in international baseball competitions such as the World Baseball Classic and formerly the Summer Olympics.-All-Africa Games:...
11-8.
In the 2009 World Baseball Classic, Crain struck out all four batters he faced in the bottom of the ninth. Canada ended up losing the game to Italy
Italy national baseball team
The Italy national baseball team is the team that represents Italy in international baseball competition. The Italian national team is currently ranked 12th in the world.-World Baseball Classic:...
.